ARTICLE https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00880-0 OPEN Deviance from the ethical standard of reporting child sexual abuse in daily newspapers of Bangladesh ✉ Asibul Islam Anik 1 , Muhammad Ibrahim Ibne Towhid1,2, Syed Shariful Islam1, Md. Takit Mallik3, ✉ Shabnam Azim4, Md. Golam Rahman5 & M Atiqul Haque1 1234567890():,; Since child sexual abuse (CSA) is one of the most serious public health issues, how CSA cases and victims are portrayed in the daily newspapers is a major concern to the public health and communication specialists. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree of the ethical standard of reporting CSA in Bangladeshi newspapers, as well as to identify the potential risk factors associated with unethical reporting. From January to December 2017, a total of 1093 news stories on CSA were collected from four top circulated Bengali newspapers and two English newspapers of Bangladesh. Berelson’s quantitative content analysis approach (only manifest content) was used to analyze these stories. For the coding and analysis purpose, news items (texts and news with photos) of spot news, editorials, and commentaries were included. Chi-square tests were used to evaluate the bivariate association of different case characteristics with unethical reporting, and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to assess the potential risk factors of disclosing the victim’s identity and needless detail in the news description. This study revealed that more than 40% of news stories on CSA cases did not follow the ethical standard of reporting. Episodic CSA cases were more unethically reported in newspapers, compared to the thematic stories (42.8% vs. 11.6%). Approximately 37% of news stories disclosed at least one identifying information of victims (i.e., name, parents’ name, family member’s name, or school name), and 23% of stories included sensual and/or excessive description of the event. Our adjusted model showed that victim identifiers were most likely to be reported in news stories when the victim was 13–17 years old (AOR 1.86; P = 0.027), the alleged perpetrator held influential social status (AOR 2.44, P = 0.005), the victim was familiar to the perpetrator (AOR 6.85, P < 0.001), and when public reaction against the CSA incident was reported (AOR 2.75, P < 0.001). In addition, if there was a public reaction to any CSA occurrence, the chances of unnecessary extensive coverage increased by 1.82 times. In conclusion, Bangladeshi newspapers often publish CSA stories without maintaining the ethical standard of reporting and thus ignore child rights. 1 Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. 2 Center for Language Studies (CLS), University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB), Dhaka, Bangladesh. 3 National Institute of Textile Engineering and Research (NITER), University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 4 Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 5 Department of Journalism and ✉ Mass Communication, Daffodil International University (DIU), Dhaka, Bangladesh. email: [email protected]; [email protected] HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS | (2021) 8:200 | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00880-0 1 ARTICLE HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES COMMUNICATIONS | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00880-0 Introduction hild sexual abuse (CSA) is a global public health problem protection), truth-seeking coverage; avoiding indecency, vulgar- Cwith short-term and long-term detrimental health effects ity, obscenity, sensationalism, and cruelty in news stories; (Weatherred, 2017). World Health Organization (Geneva avoiding detailed description of antisocial activities and self-harm et al., 1999; p. 15) defined CSA as, or suicide; respecting to diverse values and faiths; avoiding “ harmful contents; avoiding discrimination or stereotyping; The involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she monitoring other child rights; accountability, etc. does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared and cannot give consent, or that violate the laws Bangladesh legal system: Child sexual abuse and identity or social taboos of society. Child sexual abuse is evidenced disclose by this activity between a child and an adult or another Although there is no unique definition of CSA in the Bangladeshi child who by age or development is in a relationship of legal system, the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) responsibility, trust or power, the activity being intended to Act, 2010 (Act 58 of 2010) refers to sexual abuse as, “any conduct gratify or satisfy the needs of the other person. This may of a sexual nature that abuses, humiliates, degrades or otherwise include but is not limited to: the inducement or coercion of violates the dignity of the victim”. a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity; the Besides, several other Acts and Laws of Bangladeshi legal sys- exploitative use of child in prostitution or other unlawful tems like Bangladesh Penal Code, 1860, The Prevention of sexual practices; the exploitative use of children in Oppression against Women and Children Act, 2000, National pornographic performances and materials”. Action Plan to Prevent Violence against Women and Children, Although CSA is a public health concern, it is a hidden form of 2013–2025, Suppression of Immoral Traffic, 1933, and The Child violence and remains almost under-reported. The overall under- Act, 2013 have stated terminologies in describing sexual abuse reporting rate is mostly related to the culture of shame and social which is almost similar to the terms used in WHO definition of stigma about disclosing CSA (Human Rights Watch, 2013). CSA. The terms coming from the above-mentioned Acts and Newspapers discuss public issues and make people aware of social Laws to describe CSA are rape, undesirable sexual appeal, problems, including child abuse (Saint-Jacques et al., 2012). establishing sexual relation by using administrative power, mak- However, newspapers often fail to address CSA properly and ing and/or sharing pornography, non-consensual sexual behavior include unnecessary details without maintaining ethical reporting or expression, teasing and passing erotic comments, a proposal standards (Collings, 2002), which subsequently causes additional for illegal affairs and providing pressure in case of refusal, trying shame, and psychological and social burden to the victims. to build a sexual relationship by pretension or false promise, and Sometimes, shame produces intense emotions and results in kidnapping, selling, or buying minors for prostitution. In addi- anger, resentment, and resistance, aggression, feelings of pain and tion, The Prevention of Oppression against Women and Children discomfort, or even forced to commit suicide (Chilton, 2012; Act, 2000, prohibits disclosure of victim’s identities in news Jones et al., 2010). media while describing CSA stories. Since the 1990s, several guidelines have been proposed for children’s news coverage, which was mostly promoted by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and UNICEF, among other organizations around the world (Mike and Norris, 1997). Code of ethics and child sexual abuse: In the context of Journalists’ organizations from 70 countries first adopted several Bangladeshi journalism draft guidelines in 1998 to maintain the highest standards of When reporting on any CSA incidents, journalists should uphold ethical conduct in reporting children’s affairs. Then after several the existing ethical codes and abide by the aforementioned state regional conferences and workshops, 11 guidelines were finally laws. Bangladesh has a great legacy of journalism, backed up by a adopted by the International Federation of Journalists in 2001 strong sense of moral obligation, yet there are no effective codes (IFJ, 2001; Mike and Norris, 1997; Peter, 2002). According to the among most of the journalistic communities, and the existing guidelines, journalists should strive for the excellent standard of Press Council Codes appear to be inadequate (Bangladesh Press accuracy and sensitivity when reporting on children involved Council, 2002; UNICEF, 2010a). The Dhaka Union of Journalists issues; avoid child damaging programming and images publica- (DUJ), one of the local news reporters’ associations, has a set of tion with information; avoid stereotypical or sensationalist cov- 13 guidelines that solely reflect the safeguarding issues of the erage of child issues; consider the consequences before publishing union members, but none of these guidelines mention anything any children involving material to minimize the harm of children; about children’s coverage. Though similar guidelines can be guard against visually or otherwise identifying children; give found within some local journalists’ associations across the children the right of access to media to express their own opinion; country, most of the journalists possess a lack of awareness ensure independent verification of children provided information concerning these guidelines (Elahi, 2013; UNICEF, 2010a). On without putting them at risk; avoid the use of child sexualized the other hand, the Bangladesh Press Council, a statutory body of images; use fair, open, and straight forward methods for obtain- Bangladesh, issued a code of conduct (consists of 25 clauses) for ing pictures with children’s or guardian’s consent; verify the newspapers and journalists